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This paper explains how social media drives organization-public collaborative outcomes such as social media-enabled service co-creation in non-profit organizations (nonprofits). We assume a technology affordances perspective to identify social media structures enacted through discovering functional affordances, managing constraints through privacy preferences, and constructing meaning and values, We explain how these structures relate to service co-creation. We surveyed 73 nonprofits on social media and collected 289 usable responses. We apply structural equation modeling to analyze the data. Our findings suggest that symbolic constructed meaning and values together with the organization's privacy preferences on social media are positively related to socialization, visibility, and information sharing affordances. Unlike information sharing, socialization and visibility affordances are, in turn, positively related to service co-creation. This study advances our theoretical understanding of how social technology structures produce collaborative outcomes and offers practical insights into the cumulative value of social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee's autonomous motivation and emotional labor have received insufficient attention in the service co-creation literature. This study proposes a model linking frontliners' autonomous motivation, deep acting with customer co-creation and frontliners' innovation. The model was tested by the data collected from 202 dyads of salespersons and customers in the automotive retail service. Results show that frontliner's autonomous motivation has direct and indirect (through deep acting) impacts on customer co-creation and frontliner innovative behavior. Moreover, customer co-creation stimulates frontliner innovation. These findings contribute to the development of a testable and applicable theory of service co-creation and to consolidate the self-determination theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing interest in online shopping in recent years has increased the importance of understanding customer engagement valence (CEV) in a virtual service network. There is yet a comprehensive explanation of the CEV concept, particularly its impact on multi-actor networks such as web stores. Therefore, this study aims to fill this research gap. In this study, past literature in the marketing and consumer psychology field was critically reviewed to understand the concept of CEV in online shopping, and the propositional-based style was employed to conceptualize the CEV within the online shopping (web stores) context. The outcomes demonstrate that the valence of customer engagement is dependent on the cognitive interpretation of signals that are prompted by multiple actors on a web store service network. If the signals are positively interpreted, positive outcomes such as service co-creation are expected, but if they are negatively interpreted, negative outcomes such as service co-destruction are predicted. These notions create avenues for future empirical research and practical implications.

The increasing interest in online shopping in recent years has increased the importance of understanding customer engagement valence (CEV) in a virtual service network. There is yet a comprehensive explanation of the CEV concept, particularly its impact on multi-actor networks such as web stores. Therefore, this study aims to fill this research gap. In this study, past literature in the marketing and consumer psychology field was critically reviewed to understand the concept of CEV in online shopping, and the propositional-based style was employed to conceptualize the CEV within the online shopping (web stores) context. The outcomes demonstrate that the valence of customer engagement is dependent on the cognitive interpretation of signals that are prompted by multiple actors on a web store service network. If the signals are positively interpreted, positive outcomes such as service co-creation are expected, but if they are negatively interpreted, negative outcomes such as service co-destruction are predicted. These notions create avenues for future empirical research and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of value co-creation is central to the discourse of Service-Dominant Logic (S-D logic) yet there remains little agreement among academics seeking to explain or research the value co-creation process. We distinguish service co-creation from the S-D logic notion of value co-creation, and conceptualise service co-creation as a process comprising value potential, resource integration, and resource modification. Value, being a personal evaluative judgement, cannot be co-created; rather it is realised by actors as an outcome of service co-creation. We define service co-creation as planned resource integration behaviours by actors intended to realise a value proposition. We provide guidance to assist practitioners seeking to enhance the value their customers might realise. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to address a critical problem for health-care organizations: patient referral leakage. This paper explores the nature of patient referrals by examining how health-care providers' breadth and depth of connectivity within a hospital network and identification with each other influence the likelihood of future patient referrals. Design/methodology/approach: The data was collected by using a multi-sourced data set from the health-care industry. The proposed model was tested by using logistic regression to determine the likelihood of a primary care physician's (PCP) referral to a specialist within a hospital network. Findings: A model linking provider connectivity to examine co-creation practices in the form of patient referrals is tested. Results indicate that patient referrals are multidimensional. A PCP's likelihood to refer to a specialist within the hospital network is influenced by the breadth and depth of connectivity of each provider. Research limitations/implications: This investigation extends service ecosystems to patients, health-care providers and hospital organizations, making it the first to explore how different degrees of connectivity (breadth of referral partners and depth of exchange) between and among health-care providers influence the likelihood of future patient referrals. Findings complement extant literature on service ecosystems by empirically showing that provider relationships are interdependent and rely on the mutual coordination of benefits within the entire health-care organization and network. Practical implications: Managers and health-care professionals can use the framework to build and strengthen relational ties/alliances within a service organization. An ecosystems perspective reduces patient referral leakage through enhanced organizational performance, competitive advantage and continuity of care. Originality/value: The authors offer a novel view of referral relationships using hard-to-access proprietary data. Moreover, this study responds to the need for transformative service research by offering service researchers and policymakers a means to enhance consumer well-being. The main contribution of this study is a framework to gain a better understanding of patient referral relationships between employees (i.e., health-care providers) in an organization, thereby affording an opportunity to bolster operational efficiencies, improve clinical outcomes and strengthen referral pathways. By viewing health-care networks through a service ecosystems perspective, contextual boundaries and the relative power of relationships are also identified. The novel use of rarely available hospital data in this setting helps explain how patient leakage compromises the health of the ecosystem and its members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-service technologies (SSTs) have gained in popularity in healthcare due to the expected improvement of service quality. Loss of direct contact, however, poses a challenge when customers must assume more responsibilities to produce satisfactory outcomes. We studied compare the adoption of various SSTs at the system level and observed customers’ perspectives, focusing on pragmatic reasoning, role readiness and expected accessibility to services. We distributed a cross-sectional survey to a sample of 4851 adults (aged 20–45 years) and received 1009 responses for a response rate of 22.5%. Logistic regression modelling was selected as the analysis method. We found that the maturity, purpose and voluntariness of using SSTs influenced adoption. We did not find an influence from general health attitudes on the adoption of SSTs. However, we found influences of awareness of technology, self-efficacy and facilitating conditions, which varied depending on the SST. Based on the findings, the expected benefits were clearly associated with particular types of SSTs. We show that services’ concept value is distinct from the utility of SSTs. More research on the role of perceived economic value in digitalised services is needed. Finally, service providers should adapt reasoning for each SST involved in the general concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-disaster tourism is often perceived as a form of Dark Tourism associated with death, loss and destruction. In Japan, the term Dark Tourism has gained prominence following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. This paper focuses on a community-led approach to post-disaster tourism development, initiated in the coastal area of Minamisanriku and labelled by the locals Blue Tourism. From its inception Blue Tourism incorporated non-dark activities which concentrated on the beauty of nature, social and environmental sustainability and the development of an enriched tourist experience. Its co-creational ethos helped transform some of the negative narratives of loss associated with Dark Tourism into positive accounts of communal renewal and hope. The paper highlights the limitations of Dark Tourism to post-disaster recovery and contributes new insights to the community-based tourism literature. We argue that Blue Tourism is not a type of Dark Tourism but a form of resilience which builds around local place-based practices and traditional community knowledge. Consequently, it is capable of achieving sustainable disaster recovery and tourist satisfaction simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework investigating patterns of online health communities. In particular, the study draws on coordination theory to identify four community configurations. Their distinct features determine communities’ capacity to internalize and externalize knowledge, which ultimately determines their value creation in a service context. Design/methodology/approach – The authors apply qualitative and quantitative techniques to detect similarities and differences in a sample of 50 online health communities. A categorical principal component analysis combined with cluster analysis reveals four distinct community configurations. Findings – The analysis reveals differences in the degrees of cognitive and affective value creation, the types of community activities, the involved patients, professionals, and other stakeholders; and the levels of data disclosure by community members. Four community configurations emerge: basic information provider, advanced patient knowledge aggregator, systematic networked innovator, and uncomplicated idea sharer. Research limitations/implications – The findings show that communities can be categorized along two knowledge creation dimensions: knowledge externalization and knowledge internalization. While, previous research remained inconclusive regarding the synergistic or conflicting nature of cognitive and affective value creation, the findings demonstrate that cognitive value creation is an enabler for affective value creation. The emerging configurations offer a classification scheme for online communities and a basis for interpreting findings of future services research in the context of online health communities. Originality/value – This research combines coordination theory with healthcare, service, and knowledge creation literature to provide a fine-grained picture of the components of online health communities. Thereby, inherent trade-offs and conflicts that characterize the components of coordination theory are investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A digital service ecosystem enables value creation and the co-development of services in a value network under a common ecosystem regulation. The ecosystem members are able to focus on their core competences and can strengthen their forces by co-operating; yet remaining able to act independently. However, due to regulated environment, the ecosystem elements-i.e. ecosystem members, capabilities, infrastructure and the existing ecosystem assets-have an influence on digital service engineering, especially in the service requirements engineering phase. The main contribution of this paper is to describe how to specify the requirements of digital services in a digital service ecosystem. To this aim, this paper introduces the basic definitions and elements of the digital service ecosystem, and a scenario-based service requirement engineering (RE) method for the digital service ecosystem. A practical example is given to illustrate the use of the RE method. The collected feedback from the RE method users highlights the user experiences on the advantages and limitations of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper aims to provide an evaluation of the findings first put forward in the article “A cross-sectional test of the effect and conceptualization of service value” with the benefit of hindsight, and to offer directions for further research and developments in the research area.Design/methodology/approach Research directions which emanated from the publication of the paper have been examined in the light of current service(s) marketing theory and practice. As a result, promising current and future strands of research have been identified.Findings The focus of both the original and this paper is on the conceptualization and measurement of the value construct. Although much theory has been advanced relative to the measurement of value, the marketing literature lacks a conceptualization and measures that reflect this theory.Research limitations/implications The implication of the paper is that marketing scholars tend to focus more on to other studies before exhausting the opportunities to identify and test appropriate conceptualizations and measures of core marketing constructs such as value, quality, sacrifice and satisfaction.Practical implications Although value is universally identified as a major driver of consumer decision-making, a full appreciation of its role in the strategic marketing efforts of organizations depends on having an accurate conceptualization and measures. The original paper and this revisit motivate and assist organizations in their efforts to better understand value and its impact in the decisions made by consumers.Social implications To contribute to the needs and wants of society, organizations must identify what is valued by society. The original and this revisit identify the creation of value as a basic need in encouraging consumer behaviours when the intent is to satisfy societal needs or desires.Originality/value The original paper was highly rated, and generated discussion and important further research. It has value as part of the history of service marketing research. The retrospective analysis by the authors gives a unique insight into processes and thinking associated with understanding key aspects that contribute to the historical development of service marketing, and provides substantial food for thought for future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Companies increasingly opt for co-creation by engaging customers in new product and service development processes. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into the customer experience in co-creation situations and its determinants. Design/methodology/approach - The conceptual framework addresses the customer experience in co-creation situations, and its individual and environmental determinants. To examine the degree to which these determinants affect the customer experience in co-creation situations, the author starts by proposing and testing a multidimensional co-creation experience scale (n=66). Next, the author employs an experiment to test the hypotheses (n=180). Findings - Higher levels of customer role readiness, technologization, and connectivity positively affect different co-creation experience dimensions. The impact of these dimensions on the overall co-creation experience, however, differs according to customers' expectations in terms of co-creation benefits. Therefore, the author concludes that the expected co-creation benefits determine the importance of the level of customer role readiness, technologization, and connectivity for the co-creation experience. Originality/value - This research generates a better understanding of the co-creation experience by providing insight into the co-creation experience dimensions and their relative importance for customers with different expectations in terms of co-creation benefits. Additionally, this research addresses the implications of customer heterogeneity in terms of expected co-creation benefits for designing co-creation environments, thereby helping managers to generate more rewarding co-creation experiences for their customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically evaluate an adoption model for technology-based services (TBS) that integrates a customer’s willingness to co-create (WCC) as mediator complementing the well-known individual differences and innovation characteristics in predicting customer adoption of TBS. Design/methodology/approach – The manuscript uses structural equation modeling to analyze survey data from two empirical studies (n¼781 and n¼181). Findings – The empirical results show that WCC represents a key mediator between established antecedent predictors (innovation characteristics and individual differences) and the likelihood of TBS adoption. Additionally, the analysis reveals that WCC can even better explain and predict adoption intention of TBS than the commonly used individual differences and innovation characteristics. Finally, the results also suggest that a lack of customers’ WCC may help to explain persuasion-decision discrepancies within TBS adoption. Research limitations/implications – As the data of this manuscript pertains to the mobile apps market, future research might test the modified technology adoption model in other TBS contexts as well. While the studies used cross-sectional data, it would be interesting to assess the differential influence of WCC across the stages in the adoption process using longitudinal data. Practical implications – The findings on WCC provide managers with a new set of factors (apart from known antecedent predictors like individual differences and innovation characteristics) to optimize TBS adoption. Originality/value – This manuscript is the first to examine an adoption model for TBS that integrates a customer’s WCC. Furthermore, the findings provide first empirical evidence that WCC can help to explain persuasion-decision discrepancies within TBS adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Value co-creation in the context of effort exertion at a fitness center is examined. To benefit from their fitness center membership, customers must exert effort utilizing the equipment and facilities made available by the center. We find three factors that influence customer effort exertion: personal goal clarity (what do I want to get out of my membership), service relevance (how will working out at the center help me achieve my fitness goals), and employee interactions (how do service employees facilitate my effort exertion). We also find that the amount of effort exerted positively impacts customer satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]